1. Field
Embodiments of the invention relate to scanning fiber devices. In particular, embodiments of the invention relate to attaching optical fibers to actuator tubes in scanning fiber devices.
2. Background Information
Various different types of scanning fiber devices are known in the arts. Scanning fiber devices commonly include a single, cantilevered optical fiber that may be vibrated or scanned in one or two dimensions according to a scan pattern.
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional side view of one example of a known scanning fiber device 100. The scanning fiber device includes a housing 102. A piezoelectric tube 104 is included in the housing and attached to the housing with an attachment collar 106. A portion of an optical fiber 108 is inserted through the piezoelectric tube. A free end portion 110 of the optical fiber is within the housing and attached to an end of the piezoelectric tube. The free end portion is flexible and may resonate at a frequency that depends in part upon its length. The piezoelectric tube has electrodes 112. Wires 114 are electrically coupled with the electrodes. The electrodes may be driven to move the free end portion of the optical fiber according to an expanding spiral or other scan pattern. Dashed lines are used to show that the free end portion of the optical fiber may move during operation.
The movement of the optical fiber according to the scan pattern may be used to construct an image. Constructing an image may include displaying an image on a target area and/or acquiring an image of a target area. In displaying or forming an image on the target area, the light emitted from the end of the optical fiber may be modulated during the scan pattern depending on the pixel position in order to form a desired image on the target area. In acquiring an image of the target area, the scanning fiber device may scan an illumination spot through an optional lens system and over the target area in the scan pattern. Backscattered light may be captured, for example by a photosensor, in time series.